This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119(a) on Patent Application No. 2001-0087396 filed in KOREA on Dec. 28, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner, and particularly, to an outdoor unit for an air conditioner having a reinforcing structure which increases a supporting intensity to reduce a vibration and to minimize a fabrication cost.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, an air conditioner is an apparatus for maintaining an indoor environment to be the most profitable state by conditioning a temperature, humidity, cleanliness of air and air flow.
A general refrigerating cycle includes a compressor for changing a refrigerant into gas of a high temperature and a high pressure from gas of a low temperature and a low pressure; a condenser for condensing the gaseous refrigerant compressed from the compressor into a liquid state and for emitting heat outside; an expander having a capillary tube for changing the liquid refrigerant changed from the compressor into a saturated liquid state of a low temperature and a low pressure; and an evaporator for evaporating the saturated liquid changed from the expander into a gaseous state of a low pressure and for absorbing exterior heat.
The general air conditioner using the refrigerating cycle is divided into an outdoor unit including the compressor and the condenser and an indoor unit including the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator. The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected to each other by a connecting pipe.
When a large cooling capacity is required, the outdoor unit for an air conditioner has to increase its size, a large fan is installed therein, and is used a structure that a fan is arranged to an upper portion of the outdoor unit so as to suck air at a circumference of the outdoor unit and to exhaust the air to the upper portion of the outdoor unit.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with the conventional art will be explained.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with the conventional art, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line IIxe2x80x94II of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with the conventional art comprises a case 11 forming a receiving space therein and provided with an inlet 16 and an outlet 15 for sucking and exhausting air; a compressor 32 installed at an inner side of the case 11 for compressing a refrigerant; a fan 36 installed with a predetermined distance from the compressor 32 and rotated by a rotating force of a motor 33 for sucking and exhausting air; and a condenser 34 installed at a circumference of the case 11 for emitting heat from the refrigerant compressed from the compressor 32 and for condensing the refrigerant into a liquid state.
The case 11 includes a base plate 12 installed at a bottom portion so as to install components such as the compressor 32 and etc.; an upper plate 14 installed above the base plate 12 with a predetermined distance and provided with an inlet 16 therebetween; and a plurality of support members 20 connected between the base plate 12 and the upper plate 14 and arranged with predetermined intervals towards a circumference direction of the case 11.
The upper plate 14 has at least one outlet 15 for exhausting air, and the outlet 15 is provided with a grill 17 for protecting the fan 36 from outside.
The plurality of support members 20 are arranged towards an outer circumference direction of the upper plate 14 and the base plate 12, thereby supporting the case 11.
Operations of the outdoor unit for an air conditioner in accordance with the conventional art will be explained.
First, if the compressor 32 is driven, a refrigerant compressed from the compressor 32 emits heat by passing the condenser 34. At this time, the fan 36 promotes the emission of the refrigerant by sucking exterior air through the inlet 16.
Also, the refrigerant emitted from the condenser 34 is reduced in a pressure and expanded through the expander (not shown) formed with a capillary tube and provided to the indoor unit (not shown). Then, the refrigerant is compressed in the compressor 32 again, and repeats the cycle.
The outdoor unit for an air conditioner is provided with a large fan and a compressor to enhance condense and evaporation efficiencies, thereby generating a noise and a vibration when the fan and the compressor are driven.
Moreover, if sizes of the compressor and the fan are increased to enhance a cooling capacity, a size of the outdoor unit for an air conditioner is also increased. At this time, when the compressor and the fan are driven, a supporting intensity of the outdoor unit is relatively weakened, so that a gap and a vibration are generated.
Accordingly, to overcome said problems, as shown in FIG. 3, a lattice-type sash composed of a plurality of vertical rods 52 and a plurality of horizontal rods 54 is installed at an outer side of the outdoor unit so as to prevent the vibration.
However, the outdoor unit for an air conditioner having the lattice-type sash 50 requires many components to fabricate the sash 50, complicated processes, and an expensive production cost.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an outdoor unit for an air conditioner having a reinforcing structure which increases a supporting intensity, simplifies a construction and a fabrication, and reduces a fabrication cost.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an outdoor unit for an air conditioner having a reinforcing structure comprising a base plate arranged at a bottom portion of a body of the outdoor unit, an upper plate arranged at an upper portion of the body of the outdoor unit, a plurality of support members connected between the base plate and the upper plate and arranged towards a circumference of the body with predetermined intervals, and a reinforcing member arranged between the support members for supporting the body of the outdoor unit, wherein the reinforcing member includes an upper reinforcing rod connected to both sides of the upper plate and prolonged to a lower direction, a lower reinforcing rod connected to both sides of the base plate and prolonged to an upper direction, and a connection reinforcing rod connected between the upper and lower reinforcing rods.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an outdoor unit for an air conditioner having a reinforcing structure, wherein the upper reinforcing rod consists of first and second upper rods connected to each other by fixing one side thereof to the upper plate respectively and by being prolonged to a lower direction with a predetermined angle, and the lower reinforcing rod consists of first and second lower rods connected to each other by fixing one side thereof to the base plate respectively and by being prolonged to an upper direction with a predetermined angle.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an outdoor unit for an air conditioner having a reinforcing structure, wherein the first and second upper rods and the first and second lower rods have a declined angle of 30xc2x0 for the upper plate and the base plate respectively.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.